The Serpent's Reflection
by Rahar Moonfire
Summary: Post SG-1 ep 'Point of View.' Dr. Samantha Carter works towards include Earth in the Asgard's Protected Planets Treaty. But she also wants revenge for her murdered husband and the attack on Earth by permanently ending the System Lords and all they stand for. To do that, she needs the help of a Goa'uld who helped spark a similar rebellion under a Nameless Pharaoh 5,000 years ago.
1. Alternate

**A/N: **I should've been writing _Foxfire_ but I was stuck in a 6 hour meeting and had to keep my hands busy while paying attention. Writing helps me keep my mind engaged with what's going on around me while keeping my hands busy. That said, this is the sister story to _The Serpent's Vow,_ **however** this fic takes place in the reality on the other side of the Quantum Mirror. In other words, this is the reality Dr. Samantha Carter and Maj. Kawalsky came from when they went through the Quantum Mirror in the episode 'Point of View' to escape Apophis' invasion and occupation of Earth. This takes place about a month and a half after that arc in _The Serpent's Vow. _I **_highly _**suggest you read _The Serpent's Vow _first, but it isn't really needed I guess. It'll just help give context to things. Enjoy.

**Chapter summary: **In which Samantha doesn't like her options, but she's not about to get anything but _her_ way.

* * *

**The Serpent's Reflection**

**1: Alternate**

_"__Lord Yu is the oldest living Goa'uld System Lord," _the small, gray alien said. His voice was patient and his words slow and deliberate.

The image on the screen Dr. Samantha Carter stared fixedly at showed at least twenty people from across the globe squished into the conference room in the SGA. The conference room was one of the rooms that did not suffer substantial damage during Apophis' invasion and subsequent occupation. Everyone in the room was listening attentively to the Supreme Commander of the Asgard inform them of the identities of the System Lords who would attend the Summit.

The hologram hovering in the center of the conference table was difficult to make out, even when the videographer zoomed in on it. The details were simply lost in the light of the hologram. So Samantha dropped her gaze from the small television screen and studied the painting on the table.

It depicted a venerable man of Asian descent. His forehead was shaved far underneath the Oriental style hat he wore on his head leaving his long, black hair to tumble artistically down his back in a simple ponytail. It was his mustache that was truly impressive. Both ends of the ebony mustache dangled so far down as to rest on the man's chest.

And yet, as fascinating as the ancient Chinese painting was, it was not an actual image of the Goa'uld System Lord Samantha and the SGA would be meeting. This was a mere representation. It was hardly enough to work with.

_"__His word has much sway over the other System Lords," _the Asgard Thor continued. The people present in the room stared at the screen and listened in rapt attention._ "Enemy or ally, the Goa'uld respect his age and knowledge. Crossing him is not often a survivable act. Even when Ra was Supreme System Lord, Lord Yu's council and prowess were still greatly valued."_

Samantha grimaced.

_"__Manannan mac Lir," _Thor's voice from the video continued, _"is not a System Lord of great power. But he encourages science and has a preference for worlds with high concentrations of water."_

Which debatably put Earth in the System Lord's sights. There hadn't been much Samantha or anyone else had been able to dig up about Manannan from Earth histories except for the fact he was apparently a Celtic sea deity. Not much else had been available. At least Lord Yu had been a prominent figure in ancient Chinese history. Interestingly, Lord Yu had masqueraded as a great king, not a god. Samantha wondered why that was?

_"__The last System Lord to attend the Summit will be Queen Nephthys,"_ Thor said, breaking Samantha out of her thoughts.

The hologram visible on the camera was against distorted but Samantha didn't need it. She remembered what Neph- _Set_ looked like. Tall with piercing blue eyes that were as sharp as ice but surprisingly not as cold. The man's skin was a deep tan a shade or so darker than his hair. He moved with the deadly grace of a Black Ops agent but only attacked when provoked.

Granted, that had been _Set._ Samantha had to remember that. Set had been from the reality on the other side of the Quantum Mirror. She had no way of knowing if the Nephthys here in her home reality was in any way similar to the Set she met in person.

She hoped he was.

She blinked away her thoughts when she realized she'd missed some of the dialogue in the video recording. From what she could recall, most of what had been said during that duration hadn't been very useful. Most of it had been exclamations of surprise or confusion regarding the 'Queen' moniker assigned to an obviously male appearance.

Explaining the complexities of Goa'uld sexuality and gender, or lack thereof, had been tedious and made many present uneasy. If she was being honest with herself, Samantha found it odd too. But that was mostly due to her lack of knowledge in the field of biology. It hadn't been her preferential field of study after all. But she did understand how bees and ants operated and thankfully the others had been too.

It had taken her a few days of thinking and puzzling to realize the unease she'd faced in the conference room that day had likely been the disconnect between the face everyone saw and the snake hiding from view yet very much in control. In their defense, Samantha didn't think anyone would, or _should_ ever get used to that.

Pausing the video, Samantha ran her hands over her face for the umpteenth time that day. They only had one more day to prepare for the Summit. Thor had been a constant presence since his arrival nearly a month ago. His advice and calm, patient guidance had been a boon to both Samantha and all that was left of Mankind.

Earth was trying very hard to recover from the devastating attack by the Goa'uld System Lord Apophis. It had culled the entire population by… Well, the official numbers were still coming in, and likely would for months if not years. But the estimations were in the billions worldwide.

So many innocent people dead.

Jack.

The heart wrenching sadness crushed over her like a wave before eventually receding. She was learning how to ride the tide of intense emotion so she came out still capable of acting and thinking. Crying was healthy and a release, but she couldn't afford to cry right now.

Right now, she had work to do. Endless work. She knew she had to sleep some time tonight, but not yet. Her mind was working too fast to allow herself to sleep.

The System Lords attending the Summit and who would, hopefully, sign the treaty to allow Earth's inclusion into the ranks of the Asgard's Protected Planets, were: Lord Manannan mac Lyr, Lord Yu, and Queen Nephthys.

Nephthys. Set.

Samantha glanced at the box of tapes sitting on the table next to the photo. She winced as all of her insecurities bubbled back up to the surface. Frustrated, she pounded them back into submission and plucked one of tapes from the top of the pile up and studied it.

_"__CCTV 23: Storage Room7 – Mirror/Set"_

This had taken all of her skills to convince the current President of the United States it would be worth it. These recovered CCTV tapes were few, but spoke a million words. Luckily, despite his hatred for the Goa'uld and his hesitancy to ever trust "those bastards," her friend Major Charles Kawalsky had backed her suggestion. His support had been the clincher that sealed the deal.

In that strange reality where Samantha met her military counterpart and… Ja- Col. Jack O'Neill, she'd learned a lot. One of them was that there was a sect of Goa'uld out there who were fighting against the System Lords: the Tok'ra.

That news went over… well…

No one trusted the Goa'uld. Understandable but immensely frustrating. Honestly, the Nazis may have originated in Germany, but not all Germans were Nazis. That comment made some people think. But it had been the support of the Asgard that had finally given Samantha the tenuous support she now had.

Nephthys was a Queen Goa'uld in a human male host. When Samantha met the version of him in the Mirror Reality, Nephthys had used the name 'Set.' He'd been patient, quiet, calculating, and polite. Not nice. But polite. Even if his wit and his words, when he did speak, were razor sharp.

He'd saved her life.

That wasn't something Samantha would soon forget. She'd been about to be torn apart from the effects of entropic cascade failure while in the Mirror Reality. Somehow, Set had known this before it happened and pushed her back through the Quantum Mirror, saving her life. Even through the consequences of his actions resulted in transporting himself through the Mirror with her. And then, instead of complaining, Set had helped rid her world of Apophis and gave her hope for potential allies to be found in her own reality.

Despite his actions, only Samantha and the Mirror Reality's Dr. Daniel Jackson had ever thanked him.

If Samantha trusted everything Set had told her about his past and eventual rebellion against the System Lords, then maybe her reality's version of Set, Queen Nephthys, could become an ally. She was banking a lot on this venture. If she was wrong…

She wasn't wrong. She just _knew_ she wasn't.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she replaced the CCTV tape into the box. Picking up the photograph on the table, she stared at the people there. Set gave her this photograph for a reason. She could only guess what that reason was, but she would be damned if she ignored this opportunity.

Every time she looked at this printed paper, her eyes were immediately drawn to Set's brilliant blue eyes. The little boy sitting on Set's shoulders was obviously young and had an open, guileless smile on his face. Both the boy and Set were looking at the three people in the middle of the photo. And what an odd trio they were.

The boy in the center had gelled up black hair with bleached bangs. He was laughing and had one fist raised as if in enthusiasm or victory. The blonde boy on the left was tall and lanky and appeared to be squeezing the boy with bleached bangs in a tight hug. The boy on the right had brown hair and was stockier in build than either of the other two boys. All three boys were smiling and cheering about something.

Samantha wondered mildly what they'd been so happy about. Who were they? Why did they matter? Were they some of the few humans left alive in this grim reality? She sincerely hoped so.

"Samantha?"

Startled, Samantha spun around in her chair to see an elderly woman standing in the doorway. Relaxing almost immediately, Samantha smiled as an apology.

"You surprised me," she said, tucking a few strands of long blonde hair behind her ear.

Dr. Catherine Langford sighed and came inside, closing the door behind her. Samantha shifted her chair to make room for Dr. Langford. The old woman wasn't as spy as she used to be, but her mind was still as sharp and formidable as ever.

The woman studied the objects on the table and sighed. "I'm sorry about this," she said wearily. "I think the council made the best choice, but I'm still sorry." She rested her hand on Samantha's and squeezed comfortingly.

Samantha nodded. "Yeah," she whispered.

God, she missed her Jack.

Sniffing, she sat up and placed the photo in the box with the CCTV tapes.

"This is the best chance we've got," she said. "Thor thinks it'll work."

"Are you trying to convince me?" Dr. Langford asked gently. "Or yourself?"

Samantha grimaced and didn't answer.

"Well," Dr. Langford continued, "I have some good news."

Sam looked up in interest.

"I was able to track down Dr. Daniel Jackson," the elderly lady said, fingering the golden Eye of Ra amulet resting on her chest. "He should be here in a couple days."

Samantha's eyebrows flew up. "Wow. That's… fast."

Considering the ruined state of the world's infrastructure, a couple days was impressive. Dr. Jackson must be hurrying. She silently hoped her reality's Dr. Jackson was as nice and interesting as the one in the Mirror Reality.

Shaking herself, Samantha nodded and began running through her mind. If her reality's Daniel was as open-minded as she hoped, then she might have the beginnings of a team. The Mirror Reality's SG-1 team, from what Samantha saw, operated like a well-oiled machine. They brainstormed together, were aware of and worked towards enhancing each other's strengths, minimizing their weaknesses, as well as encouraging and supporting each other.

Samantha wanted that. In her post-apocalyptic Earth, she _and_ the Stargate Administration need that. The SGA had been under intense scrutiny since Apophis' invasion. Thor had been instrumental in diverting most of the world's anger away from the SGA and at the System Lords by informing them of past invasions. The Asgard Supreme Commander also explained that the Goa'uld would have returned eventually, no matter what.

So while the SGA was no longer on the proverbial hot seat, they weren't out of the woods yet. Thor's selection of Samantha as the Earth's representative at the Summit had been met with lukewarm welcome. She received some support from the scientific and civilian communities based on her position as a civilian scientist with a doctorate in astrophysics. The fact she was a woman also garnered her support.

Unfortunately, those strengths were also her weaknesses. Some people complained, loudly declaring a man would do better than a woman. Others claimed a military officer would have more training and discipline to handle delicate negotiations. Then she was scientist and an agnostic at best. Most of the world was religious and believed in some form of higher power. Most of these people fell disturbingly silent when they learned their "higher powers" were, in fact, Goa'uld System Lords.

But Dr. Samantha Carter was not easily cowed. She'd survived the invasion. She'd watched her beloved husband of a year be murdered in cold blood in front of her. She'd traveled to another reality and saw hope.

She would bring that hope to her Earth. If she had to drag it by the ears, kicking and screaming the whole way, then she would. She would convince Nephthys to join her in protecting Earth and overthrowing the System Lords. Even if it took a few years.

After all, vengeance was best served cold.


	2. First Impressions

**A/N:** To my fellow American readers: HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

"In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. Mankind. That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interest. Perhaps, it's fate that today is the 4th of July and once again you will be fighting for our freedom, not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution, but from annihilation. We're fighting for our right to live, to exist. And should we win the day, the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day when the word declared in one voice: 'We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We will live on. We're going to survive.' Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"

-President Thomas J. Whitmore (Bill Pullman) from the movie _Independence Day_ Best Presidential speech ever, and it wasn't even spoken by a real life president. Thomas J. Whitmore for President 2020!

**Chapter summary:** In which Samantha gets annoyed and decides to face her problem personally, even if it's a bit underhanded.

* * *

**2: First Impressions**

With each chevron that locked in place, Samantha's anxiety grew. When chevron seven locked, the blue-white energy kawooshed outwards before settling in the familiar pool that served as the Stargate's event horizon. It was beautiful and, surprisingly, helped soothe her nerves.

This, she knew and understood. She had been the one who originally figured out how to open the Stargate. She would not let a race of prissy, narcissistic, snakeheads make her regret that.

Then the event horizon rippled and the first person stepped through. His hair was a dark, golden-brown and hung to his chin where it curled under. Two braids hung from either side of his face in front of his ears. The braids were longer than his hair and had colorful threads and beads woven into the strands of hair. His clothes were shades of blue a green and distinctly Celtic in design. His green eyes flashed bright, hated gold.

This must be Manannan mac Lir. Samantha took a deep breath, clasped her hands in front of her, and squared her shoulders. She met Manannan's eyes directly and nodded slightly in greeting. She refused to bow any lower. He was not above her. If anything, he was _her_ equal. Especially in this situation. The Goa'uld lifted a bushy eyebrow thoughtfully but said nothing.

The two more Goa'uld stepped through the Gate and the wormhole disengaged. Samantha's eye was immediately drawn to the elaborate, distinctly Chinese attire of the System Lord now standing next to Manannan mac Lir. He was the epitome of refined, reserved ancient Chinese aristocracy. His dark brown, almost black eyes were heavy and serious.

Undoubtedly Lord Yu. Which meant…

Whatever Samantha had been expecting, it wasn't what she got. The Set Samantha knew had short, brown hair, a stern demeanor, and a cool but attentive gaze. Queen Nephthys had long hair, which was gathered together in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. The chestnut brown strands were then braided and left to hang limply down his back and over his shoulder. His expression was unreadable, but like the carefully molded mask of a politician.

It was blank, just like his eyes. The sharp but inquisitive blue Samantha remembered were dull and lifeless. There was a distinct feeling of 'no one home' that she didn't like. What happened to him?

"Interesting fortress you have built," a metallic, echoey voice said in the tense silence. "Are we underground?"

Jolted from her thoughts, Samantha turned her attention to Manannan mac Lir. "We are yes," she said simply. "Several levels under."

"Fascinating," the Goa'uld said, casting his eyes around the Gateroom with interest.

"You 'interest' is hardly mine," Lord Yu said, glancing disdainfully at the Celtic System Lord. "I would much prefer to be escorted to my rooms."

Right.

"This way, please," Samantha said, gesturing to the blast door that slide open to her right.

Without waiting to be sure they followed, she turned on her heel and walked towards the hallways. She didn't worry about the snakes trying something behind her back. The numerous armed soldiers from multiple countries currently on the SGA base would make sure nothing untoward happened.

She heard the soft scuff of the Goa'ulds' footsteps behind her and it made the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. The knowledge that there was a predator nearby was clear, present, and hard to ignore. Fortunately, this wasn't Samantha's first rodeo and she had plenty of experience with self-control.

Ignoring her instincts as best she could, Samantha led the three Goa'uld diplomats to their designated staterooms. She knew the décor was subpar but she hoped that would be overlooked. Earth was still in emergency response mode. Making the snakes who were responsible for Earth's suffering feel comfortable during their visit was not a high priority. Manners be damned.

As rehearsed, Samantha opened the first door she came to. "These are your quarters, Lord Yu," she said, gesturing to the vaguely Oriental design within. "I hope it's satisfactory."

The ancient System Lord glanced briefly at her before stepping inside the room. The Goa'uld's expression remained unmoved but his hum was vaguely annoyed.

"It will do," he said.

"Feel free to take your time and get settled in," Samantha said, deliberately ignoring the Goa'uld's mild insult. "The Summit will begin when the Asgard arrive."

Lord Yu's eyes flashed but he nodded silently.

Samantha turned and crossed the hall to the next stateroom. This one was decorated with blue decorations and Celtic-inspired art. "Lord Manannan mac Lir, this is your room," she said.

The System Lord hesitated, glancing at Nephthys who had yet to speak a word. He placed a hand on Nephthys shoulder in what Samantha almost thought looked reassuring. Then Manannan flashed her cheery grin and disappeared inside the room. This left Samantha alone with Nephthys who was still eerily silent. It was disturbing and made alarm bells ring in the back of her mind.

"This way," she said, gesturing to the last stateroom on this hall. Nephthys followed without a word. When Samantha opened the door, he moved past her and shut the door behind him.

This hadn't been what she expected. Where was the sharp tongue and observant gaze? Where was the suspicion the other System Lords displayed? Where was any sign of life?

Unnerved, Samantha stared at Nephthys shut door for several long seconds before turning and making her way to her office. She sank gratefully into her chair and began going over her notes for the first meeting. She had maybe a half hour before things began in earnest. She had to be ready.

* * *

Well that was a several hours worth of nonsense. When Ja- the Col. O'Neill from the Mirror reality said the Goa'uld had been offended by 'hello,' he hadn't been kidding. Geez.

Samantha kept a very, _very _tight lid on her temper. She was the representative of Earth. She deserved a say in what was going on but every word out of her mouth was met with disdain from Lord Yu, dismissive amusement from Manannan mac Lir, and utter, disinterested silence from Nephthys. The Asgard Thor hadn't spoken much other then to offer ways to compromise. The Goa'uld hadn't been pleased but at least they'd acknowledged Thor.

It was infuriating. The next meeting would take place tomorrow morning bright and early by local Earth time, as was apparently tradition for Summits like this. That meant Samantha had endless energy to burn and nothing to vent at. She bit her lip, careful not to bite too hard. The last thing she needed was an ulcer or a bleeding lip. She could work with this. She was a scientist. She could channel her potential energy to something useful, like scheming.

If the Goa'uld weren't going to take her polite arguments seriously, then she wouldn't be polite. Or, she would be polite, but she would also be maliciously compliant. Didn't like her being Human? Then she'd make the System Lords suffer through her Humanity. Didn't like her suggestions and preferred to interrupt her? Then she'd continue to speak when the other System Lords talked over her and if they missed something important, that was their fault. If they didn't like the fact she wasn't an official diplomat? Then she would make the Goa'uld _eat _her science.

Strangely, she was growing annoyed with Nephthys' treatment of her as well. There was no way Samantha could reconcile the Set she'd met from the other reality and her reality's Nephthys. They were two completely different people. She'd known that going in, but she hadn't _realized_ it until it had been force fed to her. Set had at least respected her enough to speak with her and treat her like a human being. Nephthys barely even acknowledged her existence. It was maddening.

But it also brought up an important question. How different was her reality from Set's? What had gone so drastically wrong for Nephthys to leave Earth so long ago and become the very thing he had fought to repel from Earth? If he'd even done that. Samantha had no way of knowing for sure if that was even true in her reality.

It was like stepping through the Quantum Mirror, fully expecting a different reality, but _not_ expecting to come face-to-face with the man she'd married and watched die in her reality but who was not only alive and well but who didn't have the same feelings for her in that new reality. It was a juxtaposition that made her brain hurt and her mind start racing to catch up.

Huffing in frustration, she grabbed the box of CCTV tapes and started watching them again. She'd seen most of them already. It was odd watching herself move through the ruined SGA facility after being pushed through the Quantum Mirror by Set. She didn't know what she was looking for or if she would even recognize it when or if she saw it.

Perhaps that was why she noticed it. It was brief, but for a moment she thought she caught a flash of gold from Set's side just before the Jaffa scanning the room she, Kawalsky, Set, and the SG-1 team had been hiding in turned and left. It was from what looked like Set's belt. Was that where he'd kept that odd, golden scepter of his? The same one he'd almost attacked her with on Thor's ship? Well, he'd probably been anticipating a fight and that was one of the few weapons Set had on him so it probably didn't matter as much as Samantha's stressed mind thought it was.

She continued to watch the video, this time choosing to stay on this angle instead of changing tapes to follow her own progress through the SGA. She watched Daniel fiddle with the Quantum Mirror. She watched Set stand watch. She watched Set become two. It really was an impressively realistic hologram. Whatever technology Set used to created the holographic duplicate must be incredibly small.

Then Set walked out of the room leaving Daniel and his hologram behind. Normally, this was when Samantha would jump to the next CCTV tap in the series, following Set's progression through the base, defeating the Jaffa he came across until the videos began to fizzle and finally went black. The damage to the base had been extensive to the incomplete security video coverage had been expected.

But this time, she decided to continue watching this particular video. Call it boredom, call it stress, call it a desperation for something, _anything_ to give her an edge.

Whatever it was, it paid off. This particular angle didn't cover the hallway outside the Mirror room but Samantha could guess what had startled Daniel and drawn the hologram's attention. When the hologram ran out into the hallway, Samantha squinted. Where was the device projection the hologram location? Even if it was small, there was no way it could project in multiple rooms without a direct line of sight.

Unless there were multiple projection devices. But that was preposterous. Earth didn't have holographic technology yet and Set hadn't had the time to plant so many needed devices. Even if he had, the CCTV footage made it clear Set hadn't done anything to suggest he'd planted anything. His arms had been crossed most of the time until he'd left.

So then how…

The hologram reappeared in the doorway, just visible in the footage and pushed Daniel aside just before a staff blast struck him. Samantha had _questions! _Holograms could look and act solid, but they could not physically interact with the physical world like this one did. The hologram had _pushed_ Daniel out of the way. Then the staff blast which _should_ have gone straight through the hologram instead struck it, effectively destroying it.

How was that possible?

Quite simply, it wasn't. A hologram was a hologram. They weren't tangible. That was the definition of a hologram. Basically. That meant this wasn't a hologram. This was something she didn't know. As a scientist, that was especially enticing.

Well, she'd wanted leverage. Maybe this was her way to get it.

Reaching back into the box, she pulled out the creased, printed photograph. If the Goa'uld could be nasty and try to play with loopholes, then so would she. It was her duty to get Earth secured in the Protected Planets Treaty. There was no rule stating she couldn't act like her opponents. Blackmail was a perfectly viable option for the Goa'uld. Why not her too?

* * *

Standing outside Nephthys' stateroom, Samantha felt her confidence waver. Was this really a good idea? Did she really want to blackmail a potential ally into helping her? Would her attempt even work? She had no way of knowing without trying it. The problem was that if she tried it and she failed, that could potentially spell the failure of the entire Summit.

Thus, why she hadn't told Thor, Maj. Kawalsky, or General Hammond. If anyone was going to get in trouble for this, it was going to just be her. Even though she wanted and respected the general's advice, he had to remain clean of this. Something told her that a court martial would be worse than a mere civilian arrest.

_Breathe Sam. Breathe and think._

She swallowed thickly. Her father's voice in her head was still healthy and stern, just like she remembered it. Maybe when this Summit was over, she could start devoting her resources to tracking her down her father's location and lessening the official number of missing people by one.

Shaking her thoughts away from the emotional pain, the doctor of astrophysics glared at the reinforced door, raised her fist, and knocked. For several seconds, there was no response. Then the handle turned and the door opened. The person now standing before her was physically Set, but there was nothing else remotely similar.

Nephthys' shirt was made of a thick, deep azure and gold fabric that shimmered beneath the metallic, gold shoulder guard. His midriff was bare from just below his pectorals to his waist. There, a golden belt firmly held up a skirt of cream colored cloth with designs woven with golden thread that hung to his ankles. The skirt was split along the seam up either side of the fabric allowing functionality and ease of movement. A sash of the same blue as his top fell down the front and back of Nephthys' skirt.

Beneath the folds of fabric, Samantha could see the distinctive gold armor characteristic of the Goa'uld race covering his legs up to just above his knees. The armored slats moved and shifted to allow a full range of movement while still providing effective protection. The rest of the gold appeared to be mere accessories: the gold bands around his otherwise bare biceps and right wrist, the golden ankh earrings dangling from his ears, and the very odd gold wrist guard on his left forearm that had what looked like three, thin, overlapping slabs of golden metal designed to look like wings. The only decoration on that odd gauntlet was a symbol that resembled the Eye of Ra without the pupil. Samantha had never seen anything like it before.

Interestingly enough, the bladed, golden scepter Set from the Mirror Reality preferred was noticeably absent. Probably forbidden due to its weapon-like appearance.

Nephthys said nothing, simply observed her with dead eyes and waited for her to speak.

"I have something for you," Samantha said without preamble. She held out the box of CCTV tapes and waited for Nephthys to take it. When the Goa'uld simply stared at it without taking it, she huffed. "It's not going to bite you, you know."

Well, well. _Finally_ a reaction. A flicker of what looked distinctly like annoyance flashed through Nephthys' eyes before being smothered by a glaze of emptiness. Nevertheless, the Goa'uld didn't take the box.

Frustrated, Samantha groaned. "Fine, don't take it," she said, setting the box in the doorway. If Nephthys tried to shut the door, it would catch on the box forcing him to acknowledge its presence. If he was going to act like this, then she'd push harder.

"I'm only doing what you asked me to do, after all," Samantha added, brushing a few strands of blonde hair over her shoulder. "When you told me you were involved in a rebellion that forced Ra from Earth, I figured you would at least be _somewhat _sympathetic about all this."

There it was again. A flash of emotion. It was buried deep in Nephthys' blue eyes, but it was impossible to ignore. Confusion. Suspicion. And perhaps even a bit of fear. Come to think of it, he did look a bit… unhealthy. There was a pallor in his cheeks and were those circles under his eyes?

Pushing that observation aside, Samantha crossed her arms and met Nephthys' wary gaze with her own determined one, daring him to counter her. The weight of the item in her pocket heavy and burning a hole right through her pants. Not yet.

"I get it," she said. "You probably managed to help your cohorts escape and they left you behind. I'm guessing you followed after as soon as you could, either through the Stargate or in a ship or something. I won't ask why you didn't just stay here, but I'm going to assume you had your reasons."

The door was wide open now and Nephthys' eyes gleamed with a variety of emotions. There was even the beginnings of a frown tugging at the corners at his lips.

"Changing your name to Set made sense at the time," Samantha continued and yes, that was definitely a subtle widening of Nephthys' eyes. "Changing it back to Nephthys after my team killed Ra," Nephthys' eyes grew round in shock, "was probably one of the most satisfying thing you'd done in years. I do have to wonder which name you actually prefer though: Nephthys or Set. Revenge is one thing, comfort in your own body is another."

Good. She had his full attention.

"You said Heru'ur was the best choice because of his standing," she continued without giving Nephthys a chance to fully process and formulate any kind of response. "I'm assuming after my team killed Ra, Heru'ur became the new Supreme System Lord, or one of the top contenders anyway," she mused aloud. "I'm guessing there's more to it than that. If you went straight back to Heru'ur after rebelling against Ra and leaving Earth, then you were attempting to make yourself indispensable, difficult to get rid of."

Which left Samantha with a lot of potential questions and explanations, all of which didn't have good outcomes from where she was standing.

"If Ra knew you were a queen out of his control, he would have killed you," she said, narrowing her eyes. "You made that clear. That means you chose Heru'ur for more than just his power and influence. You chose him because by doing so, you were appearing to place yourself under Ra's control. But you chose the name 'Set.'"

And wow, that had really taken her a few days to figure out.

"The Egyptians of Earth saw Set as the god of chaos, storms, the desert, and solar eclipses. But I also know you personally the Goa'uld Setesh." Nephthys eyes flashed bright gold in warning but Samantha ignored it. She was on a roll. "You told me before you seduced Heru'ur, you had never had face-to-face contact with Ra because it would have interfered with this Setesh's plans."

Samantha could only imagine how sinister those plans were. Queens, bees, and ants. She mentally shuddered.

"Becoming Heru'ur's queen offered you some protection against Setesh if he ever decided to come out of the woodwork to bother you," she said. "I'm not going to ask what Setesh did. But I'm a woman and I can think of quite a few reasons why a male in a position of power over me could and would do if he saw me as nothing but a commodity or a steppingstone to more power. But I _do_ have to ask why Heru'ur?"

She paused, studying the myriad emotions flickering across Nephthys' face, including the sudden wary curiosity.

"You told me he cheated you, cheated _on_ you, then lied to your face about it," she said, watching Nephthys' face freeze. "Why go back to someone like that? Why-"

"I have never spoken to you before in my life."

"Oh. Huh." Samantha blinked and hummed. "You do speak. I was beginning to wonder."

Nephthys eyes flashed dangerously. "I have never spoken to you nor seen your face until today," he said, the metallic echo in his voice catching her off guard despite how she expected it. It was just so not like the Set from the Mirror Reality who had never once used his Goa'uld overtones when he spoke. "How dare you imply otherwise," he hissed.

Samantha nodded slowly. "You're right," she admitted. _"You_ didn't tell me all that. The you from another reality did."

Nephthys hiss and stepped back into his room to slam the door shut, the box of CCTV tapes be damned.

"We have a Mirror capable of inter-reality travel," Samantha said, keeping her voice down but her words clear. Nephthys stopped his movements, his eyebrows quirking up in suspicious surprise. "I went through and met you there. Then you came back with me along with some others. That version of you helped drive Apophis away from Earth." She paused, keeping a close eye on Nephthys' reactions. "In that reality, you stayed on Earth after the rebellion. You never left. You stayed and went by the name Set. When I met you, you were using the name Seto Kaiba and living as a Human."

She took a careful step forward.

"Everything I told you, I heard from the you from that reality," she said. "Set _hated_ the Goa'uld. He wasn't introduced to me as a System Lord _or_ as a Goa'uld, although he never denied that's what he was." She sighed. "He referred to himself as a Tok'ra."

Nephthys actually flinched, his eyes flashed to the shut doors of the other staterooms down the hall. She hoped they were out of earshot. She'd selected this room for Nephthys specifically because it was a bit further away from the others just in case of a conversation like his occurring.

"You don't have to take my word for it," Samantha said, drawing Nephthys' attention back to her. She flicked her eyes to the box in the doorway by their feet. "That box is full of CCTV tapes that followed your counterpart's arrival here, him fighting the Jaffa to defend me, him creating a holographic clone of himself which somehow acted like a physical object," here, Nephthys' gaze sharpened abruptly and his shoulders stiffened slightly, "being beamed back here by the Asgard after Apophis left, and returning home. There're transcripts of the dialogue that could be distinguished from the videos in there as well."

Reluctantly, almost as if he expected to see a snake instead of a mere box, Nephthys' gaze slipped from hers to settle on the taped cardboard.

"But before Set returned to his home reality," Samantha said slowly, reaching into her pocket to pull out her trump card, "he gave me this."

She held the paper out to the Goa'uld so the printed photo faced down. Nephthys hesitated before taking it.

"Set didn't give me many details," she said, watching as Nephthys turned the paper over to study the picture, "but I get the feeling he knew those people. I doubt Set would have given it to me unless he thought it was worth it."

Silence.

The heaviness of the mood settled on Samantha's shoulders as the silence continued to stretch. Then, Nephthys made a sound that was a half sigh and half… sob?

"He's alive."

It was the faintest whisper. Samantha only caught it because she'd been straining to hear anything.

She did not expect the System Lord to collapse to the floor.


	3. Masquerade

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay. Just... life. Then I was sick. Then life. -_-

**FYI:** In canon, Lord Yu was never much for words, but he was sharp enough (in the beginning of the series) to remember what he heard and use it to his advantage. Also, Manannan mac Lyr is a canonical System Lord but I don't think he appeared in the TV show. I think he was relegated to one of the games. Arawn is canonically Manannan's sublord and chief scientist. Anyone ever heard of the Caldron of Rebirth in Celtic mythology? That was all Arawn in SG-1 canon.

**Chapter summary: **In which Samantha fails. Or does she?

* * *

** 3: Masquerade**

Samantha instinctively reached out to catch Nephthys as he fell, but only succeeded in keeping his head from striking the ground. That was something, she supposed. Still, this was _not_ the reaction she anticipated.

_"He's alive."_

She was right. Someone in that photograph was important. If she could just figure out which person, then she was certain she could cement Nephthys support. Speaking of support, Nephthys was awfully light from someone of his height and build. Maybe she'd been right about ow unhealthy she looked. She worried about calling a medic. She didn't want to potentially humiliate a potential ally, but she also couldn't afford to lose him.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a radio. "I need a medic to the System Lords' rooms. Nephthys has collapsed."

_"On our way."_

She glanced at the other System Lords' closed doors and added, "Try to keep it down. We don't want to draw too much attention."

_"Understood."_

True to their word, Dr. Janet Fraiser rounded the corner with a rolling bed. It was silent, but there wasn't any superfluous talk. Unfortunately, their arrival did not go unnoticed. Manannan mac Lyr's door opened first but Lord Yu's opened a second later. Both System Lords seemed surprised by the events, Manannan visibly more so.

"What has happened?" he demanded, his tone making it clear he would not stand for anything less than the truth.

Good thing Samantha wasn't actually sure. "I don't know," she said, helping Dr. Frasier move Nephthys' body onto the bed. "We were talking when he just…" She gestured vaguely to Nephthys' prone form not knowing what to say.

Manannan mac Lyr's eyes flashed gold as his face twisted in fury. He shared a dark look with Lord Yu who also appeared noticeably irritated. Manannan snapped something in Goa'uld to which Lord Yu nodded grimly and replied in kind.

"I will contact Heru'ur," Manannan said, leaving no room for discussion. Without waiting for a reply, he turned and retreated into his room.

Lord Yu's eyes flashed and he turned to Samantha. "Tau'ri," he said in a deceptively calm, cold voice. "I demand to speak to the Asgard Thor immediately."

Samantha frowned in annoyance as she got to her feet, watching Dr. Frasier check Nephthys' pulse while her aids adjusted the Goa'uld's body on the bed. "In case you haven't noticed, we're a bit busy," she said.

"And it is for this reason that I demand to speak with Thor," Lord Yu said in the same even tones.

The Summit. They wouldn't dare-

"I will accompany Nephthys to the infirmary until Thor arrives," the wizened System Lord continued, plowing directly over Samantha's thoughts. "We will not let one of our own alone with such," he sneered, "lower life forms."

Fuming, Samantha bit her tongue. "Fine," she said, stepping aside so Lord Yu could follow after the doctors towards the infirmary. She still glared daggers at the System Lord's back because damn, if it didn't feel good.

"General Hammond, this is Samantha," she said into her handheld radio.

_"I heard what happened,"_ her general said. _"What do you need?"_

"Lord Yu has demanded to speak with Thor," she said, glancing down at the box of CCTV tapes in Nephthys' doorway. Making sure no one was looking, she kicked the box into Nephthys' room and shut the door. "Can you get a message to him? Tell him Lord Yu is in the infirmary with Nephthys."

_"I'll certainly try."_

"Thank you, sir."

Clicking off the radio, she began to make her way down the hallway when a door slammed shut behind her. Startled, she whirled to see Manannan mac Lyr stalking down the corridor after her. A small, golden globe of an unknown metal glinted in the palm of his hand. It didn't appear to be Celtic in appearance so it must be some type of Goa'uld technology. Before he could rush past her, Samantha stepped into his path.

"What's going on?" she demanded. "What don't I know?"

"Much," Manannan said, his lips curling upwards in a wry grin even though there was a hard tone to his voice. "None of which we have time to discuss now."

"Then make time," she commanded, deliberately side-stepping so she stood in Manannan's path, blocking his way. She crossed her arms and prepared herself to wait. "You are on _my _planet, under _our_ protection, and one of you just collapsed for no apparent reason." Not really, but technicalities. "I want to know why."

The System Lord cocked an eyebrow and his eyes sparkled with interest and annoyance. "Defending your position now is hard beneficial to any party," he said curtly. "Move."

"And how _exactly_ am I 'defending my position' when I don't know what's going on?" Samantha fumed, barely managing to keep her voice down. She raised her finger and waved it inches from Manannan's face. Something in the back of her mind screamed at her that this was a dangerous move but something _else_ told her to screw it because she was tired of being tread over like dirt. "Do not think for a _second_ that I didn't notice how bad Nephthys looked," she hissed angrily. "I'm not blind. He looks awful and _no one _will tell me what the _hell_ is going on!"

She braced for the inevitable cuff over the head like what her people had suffered under Apophis' temporary rule here. But it never came. Instead, Manannan mac Lyr grinned. It was worse than she thought. It took the full force of her fury to not retreat a step or two. She wanted _answers_, damn it.

"Your voracity is admirable," the System Lord said, studying her with a calculating gaze. "I suppose I should not be surprised. Nephthys' worlds are often strong-willed. Such is the nature of the queen."

Not an answer.

Wait.

"What? What do you mean by that?" Samantha said.

Instead of replying to her question, Manannan mac Lyr smirked. "He was right," he murmured thoughtfully, reaching up to scratch his beard. "Fascinating."

"Who was right?"

The Goa'uld chuckled. "Your planet belongs to Nephthys," he said calmly. "It has since Ra abandoned it millennia ago."

Her shock must have been obvious on her face because the System Lord grinned. "Ah, you begin to understand," he said, nodding. "It was never _us_ you had to convince. It is Nephthys who must be convinced. I am not close enough to him to call him 'friend,'" Manannan mac Lyr said, "but Nephthys and my sublord Arawn have worked together on numerous scientific endeavors. He is an… ally of sorts. That said, it is well known that he has _never_ been fond of the Asgard. After an insult like this?" He shook his head. "Pray he does not consider you guilty as well. Experiment or not, he would sooner destroy all of you then let your world out of his control."

That… That just couldn't _be!_ She had been _banking_ on making Nephthys an ally. She had bet everything on convincing him. The Set she knew…

Maybe she didn't know him. She knew _Set_. She apparently _didn't_ know _Nephthys_ as well as she thought. Or as well as she'd _hoped._

She was so caught up in her panicked thoughts that she didn't notice when Manannan mac Lyr slipped past her. Frustrated, she ran her hands down her face as her mind raced to recalculate and reorganize everything she'd had planned. If the Nephthys of her world really was her enemy, then she would need to start working on countermeasures and fast. She turned to head to the infirmary when she noticed the photograph lying on the floor where Nephthys had dropped it.

She picked it up and glared at it. She _needed_ to find out who Nephthys noticed. She had to find out who these people were. She chewed her thumbnail and began plotting. The majority of Earth's infrastructure was still in desperate disrepair thanks to Apophis. At their current rate, it would probably take decades to fully recover. That was time she was beginning to think Earth didn't have.

They were living on borrowed time. In that case, she would jump the gun and pulled some string to get these boys' faces put through whatever facial recognition program was still up and running. If she could find one or, better yet, _all_ of these boys, then she might just have a chance at recovering from this funk. She would be _damned_ before she let Earth be destroyed by _any_ power.

* * *

Nephthys was awake when Samantha arrived at the infirmary, awake and not at all pleased with his situation. At least he was talking. Finally.

"I do not require your assistance. I am _well."_

"The _hell_ you are!" Dr. Janet Fraiser, master of the infirmary and the only one with the power to openly defy General Hammond's orders, snarled. "You aren't fit to be _walking_ let alone doing anything strenuous."

"Sitting and debating the ultimate destruction or prosperity of your pathetic planet is hardly strenuous," Nephthys countered in a bored voice, a sharp contrast to the razor sharp gleam in his blue eyes.

The amount of emotion he was showing now actually caught Samantha off guard. She slowed to a stop and stared at the ill System Lord incredulously. In the cold lighting of the SGA's infirmary, Nephthys really did look awful.

"What's going on here?" she asked directing her inquiry at the doctor despite staring at everyone present.

The room was packed. The infirmary wasn't a small room by any means, but with personalities like Lord Yu, Manannan mac Lyr, Dr. Fraiser, and Nephthys on top of the horde of armed guards, the room suddenly felt crowded. Then Kawalski entered followed closely by General Hammond and, surprisingly, Thor.

"My question exactly," the general said grimly.

"Your physician insists I am unfit to stand," Nephthys hisses, glaring at the righteous doctor who continued to prevent him from leaving the medical bed.

"You _are!"_ the doctor snapped angrily. "Honestly, I'm amazing you can move with any form of balance."

"Practice!"

If anything, Dr. Fraiser's eyes flashed in vicious triumph followed closely by terrible comprehension. "You've experienced this before?" she demanded, her brown eyes narrowed.

Instantly, Nephthys' mouth sealed shut and he leveled the doctor with a formidable glare.

"Nephthys."

Lord Yu's calm voice was a stark contrast to the tension in the room. But it succeeded in grabbing Nephthys' attention. Samantha didn't understand what Lord Yu said next, but she didn't have to speak Goa'uld to know a minor reprimand when she heard one. Judging from the threatening flash of Nephthys' eyes, the queen did not appreciate it. However, before anything could come of it, Lord Yu tilted his head and gestured to the diminutive figure standing next to Kawalski and General Hammond.

The moment Nephthys glacial eyes settled on Thor, his face smoothed over into a mask of calm indifference. He said something in rapid Goa'uld and Thor replied in English.

"I understand my presence was urgently requested," the Asgard Supreme Commander said. "I must confess, I did not expect such a disturbance."

Nephthys said nothing, choosing to visibly dismiss Thor's presence and attempt to stand once more. However, he was once again halted by Dr. Fraiser. Hissing in frustration, Nephthys tried again. This time, Dr. Fraiser frowned and simply pressed two fingers against the side of Nephthys' throat as if to check his pulse. Surprisingly, Nephthys made an odd sound and recoiled violently away from the contact, reaching up and covering his neck with both hands. Interestingly enough, he didn't seem to actually grasp his neck so much as just let his hands hover over it.

"There's something pressing against his spine," Dr. Fraiser said firmly. "If I didn't know better, I'd say it was the symbiote but without an MRI-"

"Which I will _not_ consent to," Nephthys snarled.

"-I can't know for sure," the doctor continued, ignoring the Goa'uld's interruption.

"Is it serious?" General Hammond.

"No."

"Yes!" Dr. Fraiser snapped, meeting Nephthys glare for glare.

She was a formidable woman in her own right. She was the doctor. She wielded needles and regularly set bones. And she could do it with or without painkillers and anesthesia if she wanted to. The soldiers in the SGA long ago learned never to cross her if they valued their sanity.

"Whether it is or not is none your concern," Nephthys said, lowering his hands and bracing himself on the bed.

"You can barely keep your balance and you can barely push me away," the doctor countered. "I'm guessing you're experiencing weakness in your legs and feet as well."

The subtle thinning of Nephthys' lips was the only hint he gave that she was right. It was enough.

"Are you causing this?" Dr. Fraiser demanded.

For a moment, Nephthys said nothing. Then he sat up straight and sighed. "Not of my own volition, no," he said.

"That's a 'yes' then," Dr. Fraiser said.

"I do not understand," Thor said. "Are you unwell?"

Gone was Nephthys' passive mask and in its place was an expression of pure, undisguised disgust.

"Heru'ur has been made aware of the situation," Manannan mac Lyr declared. Nephthys glanced at the other System Lord curiously. "He's waiting your return."

Nephthys grumbled something in Goa'uld under his breath that made Manannan smirk. Then louder and in English, he said, "Then this Summit is over."

"Excuse me?" Samantha cried, horrified.

"Now wait just a minute," the general began.

"This is most unusual," Thor said, concern in his odd voice. "No agreement has been reached."

"There was never going to be an 'agreement' between me and the likes of you," Nephthys said, shifting his weight to stand. Dr. Fraiser moved to intercept him and several things happened in quick succession. First, Nephthys' cold blue eyes flashed a brilliant gold. Second, Dr. Fraiser was no longer standing in front of him. She was sliding down the cement wall several yards away where a group of terrified aids were helping ease her to the floor. Third, every single weapon in the room was now firmly aimed directly at Nephthys.

Ignoring the weapons, Nephthys carefully slid off the bed and stood on his own two feet. He wobbled once before catching himself and straightening.

"What the hell was that?" General Hammond cried in shock. "Airman, watch her."

Kawalsky lowered his weapon and moved to check on Dr. Fraiser. "Fucking bastard," he muttered loudly enough for everyone to hear. "She was trying to help you."

"Debatable," Nephthys said dryly. Turning to Lord Yu, he nodded. "I leave the rest to you. Do as you see fit but I will not sign the Treaty."

The ancient System Lord nodded and said something in Goa'uld. Nephthys actually made a sound that was might have been a laugh. He nodded in return and moved towards the door Samantha currently stood by. She shifted to block his way.

"You can't just leave," she said fiercely.

"I can and I will," Nephthys said in a tone that would not tolerate argument. "This planet is mine by hereditary right and I will not surrender it to anyone. Least of all," he added with a sneer at Thor, "to the Asgard. If they wanted to protect this planet, then they should have claimed it millennia ago. They didn't. I did. They did nothing to protect it, nothing to maintain it, and nothing to preserve it. _I _did. Therefore it is _mine."_

"And yet they wish to be free of you," Thor said evenly.

"Do they?" Nephthys countered. "Pity. I won't release this world to you. Try and you will not survive the attempt."

Samantha noticed the subtle way Lord Yu and Manannan stiffened at the other System Lord's threat. The Mirror Reality's SG-1 was right. The Goa'uld really did fear the Asgard.

"You are outgunned," Thor said.

"You may destroy my ship, true," Nephthys stated. "But if you think I will allow myself to die while a threat to what is mine remains, then it will be the last mistake you ever make. As it has been for so many who came before you."

Thor's gray eyelids slid over his large, black eyes. His large, bulbous gray head tilted in quiet consideration. "Why are you so possessive of this particular planet?" he asked.

"I had no advanced weapons, no ship, and no Jaffa. And yet I and mine were able to drive the Supreme System Lord from the planet," Nephthys declared. "The Asgard did nothing then." His eyes flashed. "Now is too late."

For a moment, it seemed like his balanced faltered. But he caught himself so quickly it might have been a trick of the eye. It wasn't. Something was pressing against his spine.

"Besides," he added after a pause, "if you were serious about convincing me to relinquish my control of this planet, then you should not have attempted to torture me into submission. You might have had a chance then."

Torture?

At least Thor appeared just as confused as Samantha did. "We did no such thing," he said sounding offended by the insinuation. "The only direct contact the Asgard have ever had with you until now has been through inter-ship communication."

"And yet you knew of my position and the ceremonies you were interrupting to demand my presence at this Summit," Nephthys said flatly. "Despite my requests to delay by a few days."

Behind him, Samantha watched Manannan mac Lyr's expression darken. Even the venerable Lord Yu appeared disgusted and barked something in sharp Goa'uld.

"You insult us," the ancient System Lord said, his deep voice carrying the weight of years and well-earned power. "You have made the first strike. Insidious." He tucked his hands into his sleeves and lifted his head to stare down his nose at the Asgard. "I, too, refuse to sign the Treaty."

The Celtic Goa'uld hummed grimly. "Nephthys is not my queen, nor I his consort," he said slowly. "However, I will not stand for such an insult to slide."

A cruel smirk wormed its way onto Nephthys' lips. "Perhaps you should have heeded my request," he said. "Manannan," he said, intentionally turning his back to Thor and facing the System Lord by his side, "is Arawn available?"

"He is," Manannan replied. "He has been asking after you. It isn't often he has a partner who understands how his mind works."

"Then we will-"

_"Unauthorized off-world activation."_

The sirens blared and red lights flashed throughout the base, startling those present.

"Unless I'm very much mistaken," the Celtic System Lord said, gazing up at the flashing red lights, "that would be-"

"Heru'ur."

Instead of pleased, Nephthys appeared mildly annoyed. Nevertheless, he sighed. "Meet me at the Chappa'ai," he told Manannan. "I have unfinished business in my chambers."

Something silently passed between the two System Lords before Manannan grimaced and followed Lord Yu's even stride down the hall.

"Is no one going to stop them?" Kawalsky cried. "He just _attacked_ Janet!"

"She harmed me," Nephthys said, his frigid gaze sliding to the airman. "I warned her to stop. She ignored me. I don't give second chances."

"You bastar-"

"Doctor."

It took Samantha second to realize Nephthys was addressing _her_. She jumped. "Y-yes?"

"Understand this. I do not know you. Whoever you met who wore my face was not me," Nephthys said, subtly reaching out to press two fingers against the door frame as if to hold himself up. "Do not expect the same things from me as you did from them."

He leaned in close so his lips brushed her ear. "Apophis is on Chulak," he whispered just loud enough for her alone to hear. "You have three days to remove him. Wait, and there won't be anything left for revenge."

Was… Was he _helping _her? Did he _want_ her to go after Apophis?

"I believe you."

Then he left and Samantha began to wonder if anything she'd seen and heard just now had been true.


	4. Shadi Allies

**A/N:** I'm very sorry for the unexpected hiatus from last year. I explained in detail in the latest update for _Serpent's Vow_, so I won't reiterate here. But I will say I'm finally back. Unfortunately. this is courtesy of COVID-19. My company has ordered all employees in our region to telecommute until further notice just in case. Thus I have some time to write now. Yay.

Also, yes. The title is a very blatant pun on Shadi's name. (Shady.) No, I have no regrets.

* * *

**4: Shadi Allies**

She was _fuming!_ This was unacceptable! So what, because she wasn't military she couldn't handle herself? Fuck them! She survived the invasion of Earth when Apophis decided to make the SGA his base of operations. She survived.

Who found a way to escape the base under fire? She did. Who suffered quantum cascade failure and still managed to rebuild an Asgard designed generator? She did. Who went through the Gate to get the Asgard to help? She did.

Who wasn't allowed to leave the base and help wipe Apophis off the face of the universe? She was.

She was practically vibrating with anger and frustration. She didn't know what to do, she was so upset. Hot tears pooled in her eyes and spilled over onto her cheeks. Her husband was dead -_murdered- _and her one chance to have revenge had been taken from her. She adored Jack. Jack had been her life.

She wanted Apophis neck between her hands so she could squeeze the life out of it and watch that damnable glow fade from the snake's eyes. But she would never get that chance now.

So here she was, sulking, and attempting to score the available notes she had and what little she could access through the Internet. It wasn't much. The Internet system was still clunky but, if nothing else, it was incredibly well insulated. The Internet was practically the only utility still operating at a decent rate.

Telecommunication companies were still working at all hours to reestablish phone lines and power lines, but the Internet was relatively secure. It was nowhere near perfect though. If you didn't have power, no Internet. Thank goodness the SGA was considered a High Priority customer.

Taking a deep breath, she looked again at the photograph the other reality's Set had given her. She was having trouble locating these people. She knew it wouldn't be easy, especially with the state the world was in right now, but she didn't think it would be this hard.

Leaning forward, she ran her hands over her face in exhaustion. Because of the near constant activity in the base and the eternal fluorescent glow of the lights, it was difficult to tell what time it was at any given moment. She had taken off her watch and tucked it away in her pocket hours ago. Time wasn't really important right now. She would work until her body shut down. Then she'd sleep until she woke, only to repeat. Day and night meant nothing to her.

With a groan, she sat back up and stared at the picture. She'd tried everything. Without names, she'd started with the government's facial recognition system. No hits. She hadn't been expecting any since she highly suspected these people were foreign. But still, it had been something to try. Then she'd tried figuring out where the group was. Near water, obviously. Judging from the building in the background, the place was fairly well off. No luck there, either.

The only thing she had found so far was Kaiba Corporations, a well-known weapons manufacturing company that sold weapons to the highest bidder. The company was currently without a CEO after Gozaburo Kaiba had been killed in the invasion. From what she had been able to gather, Gozaburo's son Noa was in the process of establishing himself as the new CEO.

It was hardly something she could respect and, she glanced at the other reality's Set in the photograph, it didn't seem to fit what she knew. But then, she had to remind herself that realities were different. Sometimes drastically.

Damn it. She really wanted to talk to Set again. He'd been a veritable wellspring of information, despite how careful he'd been with how he said everything. Details were important to him. Ask the right questions, get the right answers. Ask the right question correctly, get the correct answer.

Was she asking the right questions? Was she using all the detail available to her? Was there anything else in the photograph that should use to search?

A shudder spiked up her spine and her thoughts suddenly jumbled as if she'd zoned out for a minute or two. She blinked in confusion as she tried to reorganize her thoughts when-

"Hmm, a card game. Clever."

Startled, Samantha spun around to see a very odd man standing behind her. He had dark brown skin and odd, pale brown, almost orange eyes. The cream colored linen robe he wore fell to his ankles. Twisted cloth wrapped around his neck and shoulder before draping down his back in what could be either a cape of a sleeveless coat. He wore a turban and fabric shoes.

All of this alone wouldn't have surprised Samantha that much. Many people from around the world, from different countries, cultures, and religions had come to the SGA to act as aids, advisors, and experts on all sorts of subject matter. Just because Samantha didn't recognize him, didn't mean he didn't have a legitimate reason to be at the SGA. The question of whether he had a legitimate reason to be in her quarters was another question.

Unfortunately, that question was thrust aside in favor of the very odd, very gold ankh shaped ring dangling from a leather strap around his neck. It had no adornments or details on it. It was just smooth gold. Strangely, the odd golden, bladed rod Set almost used to attack when he'd been surprised on the Asgard ship jumped to mind.

Cataloguing that thought for later, Samantha frowned and look at the stranger. "I'm sorry, I don't remember giving anyone permission to enter my room," she said.

"I do not remember asking for it," the man replied, his oddly accented voice was calm. Straightening, he turned his eerie gaze to her face and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. "Dr. Samantha Carter," he said, nodding to her in respect, "it is a pleasure to finally meet you."

"I'd say the same, but I'm not sure who you are," she said, smoothing her ruffled feathers.

She stood and held out a hand, which the man took. However, instead of grasping her hand and shaking it like she'd expected, he took hold of her wrist and tightened briefly before releasing and tucking into his sleeves.

He tilted his head in acknowledgement. "I suppose that would be so," he admitted. "You may call me Shadi. We have a mutual acquaintance."

Well, judging by the clothes and the ankh around the man's neck, Samantha assumed the man was likely from Egypt. The only person she knew who was heavily involved with Egyptian research and had many friend in Egypt was, "Dr. Langford?"

But the man surprisingly shook his head. "Dr. Langford and I have never met," he said, "although I am aware of her studies. She is an interesting woman and I would like to meet her one day."

A weak smile worked its way onto Samantha's lips. "Well, you're in the right place. She rarely leaves the SGA these days."

Shadi nodded. "I know."

He said nothing else; choosing to simply look at her as if she was the subject of an experiment that presented a result he did not expect. It was a bit off-putting.

She cleared her throat. "So our mutual friend?" she pressed as politely as she could.

"You have met two versions of him," Shadi answered readily. "I knew him as Set although I am aware of the name change of late."

No way.

"I must admit, I did not expect to see a version of him from another reality," Shadi said, his gaze slipping away from her and back down to the photograph still sitting on her desk.

"Wait, wait. You know Set?" Samantha gasped.

"Not the one was your Mirror, no. But I have known Queen Set for many years," Shadi replied, stepping forward and reaching out to pick up the photo and studying it. "We speak when we can, although it has been more difficult for him to find privacy as of late."

Impossible. It wasn't possible. As far as Samantha knew, Set- er, Nephthys hadn't been to Earth in millennia. How could this stranger be in contact with the Goa'uld? Unless he was one.

"I am not Goa'uld," Shadi said.

He didn't sound offended or even disturbed or disgusted by the declaration like most Earthlings would be these days. He spoke in the same tone she would use when conversing about the weather.

"I have never been Goa'uld," he continued. "I suspected an invasion would occur some day in the future, but I did not know when. For this reason," he turned his gaze back to her and handed her the photograph, "I remained behind in case my help was needed."

She couldn't stop an eyebrow from lifting. "Help how?" she said dryly.

The flash of uneasy guilt that flickered across Shadi's face was the first true sign of emotion she'd seen from him. "I admit, I was not as effective as I wanted to be," he said reluctantly. "I did not anticipate such an… enthusiastic resistance. I should have," his eerie eyes narrowed in what looked suspiciously like damped anger, "but I assumed I would be left to my own devices. I know better now and I will be ready should I face such resistance again."

Samantha tried to process what was being said. Honestly, she was struggling. Resistance? Who would resist helping Earth in an invasion of this magnitude?

"I have already starting drawing allies to you," he continued before she could speak. "They should be in the vicinity in a few days."

Stunned, Samantha stared at Shadi. "Wha… Who are you?" she demanded.

A thin, black eyebrow arched. "I did say to call me Shadi."

"No, no, tha- No," Samantha said firmly, shaking her head. "That's not what I meant." Her eyes narrowed. "And you know it."

After a moment, Shadi nodded. "I do."

Samantha crossed her arms and started directly at Shadi's eyes expectantly. It took a full minute for her to realize Shadi was fully capable of out-waiting her. Huffing in mounting frustration, she pressed her fingers to her temples and rubbed.

"Alright fine," she said finally. "What do you want from me?"

Shadi tilted his head and considered her words, then the slightest hint of a smile touched his lips. "You are learning to ask the right questions," he said.

…that sounded a lot like Set…

"I want you to help me protect this planet from the Goa'uld," he said. "Despite my position, I can only do so much. I must conserve the power I have for encounters you are not yet ready to handle. Set…" He hesitated, the light fading slightly from his eyes. "He needs help. I can only help him so much. What he has done is a punishment he believes he deserves for actions he did not choose to commit."

He reached out and touched the photo in her hand. "These people are your key to pulling him to your side," he said. "Once his loyalty is earned, it is nearly impossible to break. I have only known him to break loyalty with someone if he was betrayed. Betrayal is the ultimate sin in Set's eyes. As long as you stand by him, he will never truly betray you. He may trick you," Shadi said, lifting a finger, "but if he does, he has a reason. Trust him and you will not regret it."

Samantha mulled over Shadi's words. They didn't come across as threatening. Instead, it almost felt like she was the unfortunate new girlfriend and was being given the lowdown by her new partner's brother or best friend.

"Alright," she said slowly. "I'll keep that in mind." She hummed. "Card games?"

"Ah, yes." Shadi pointed to the photograph once more. "There is a card game that is fairly popular here on Earth. It also seems to be fairly popular in that reality as well."

Card game? Samantha turned the photo around so she could get a closer look at it. She couldn't see any cards or implications of a card game. Where did Shadi get that idea?

Wait. What was that? She squinted and pulled the photo closer. There was something card shaped dangling from Set's neck in the photo. Come to think of it, she remembered Set wearing that exact necklace the entire time she had been with Set in both the other reality and when he came through the Mirror to this reality.

It was a rectangular shape with a swirling design resembling brown clouds or mist spiraling into an oval black hole in the center. It definitely looked like the back of a card. But it wasn't any card she recognized.

"So this card game, whatever it is, is a common link," she murmured. "That narrows it down a little bit."

"It is very old," Shadi explained. "The card game is merely the latest incarnation of this particular form of battle."

Battle? Startled, Samantha lifted her gaze back to Shadi in in rapt interest.

"It originated in the area that would soon become ancient Egypt," he continued. "At the time, it was merely referred to as Tau'ri."

Oh. No way.

"By disguising it as a game, Humans were able to slip under the attention of the Goa'uld," he said. "All except for one."

"Set." This was starting to make sense in a weird sort of way.

Shadi nodded. "He was attracted to feat and puzzles that challenged his mind. This game," he nodded to the picture, "was one of those. It is more complicated than that, naturally. But that is not my place to say. All you need to know is that this… 'game' will help you gain the upper hand in your war against the Goa'uld. Of this, I am certain."

Alright. Samantha had seen weirder things. She was willing to try anything at this point. But running that past General Hammond would be a bit iffy. The general trusted her and she, him. But that didn't mean he would be easy to convince. Hammond had already stuck his neck out for her on multiple occasions. She was loath to take advantage of his kindness unless she had a _very_ good reason.

"I'll keep that in mind," she said.

Shadi nodded deep enough to almost be considered a bow. "That is all I ask."

Then he turned as if to leave.

"Wait!" she called. She was pleased if mildly surprised when he stopped and glanced back at her. "If you really were friends with Set for so long, then… How old are you?"

The corner of his mouth twitched upwards. "Old enough. You should go to the control room," he added before she could press him. "You will be needed there. I doubt children will be welcome in the SGA without some convincing."

She looked back down at the photo and could help but agree. Because, yeah, getting the higher ups to agree to letting children in the base that essentially served as the front line of Earth's defense would not be easy. Still, there were a couple things she wanted to-

Where did he go? Frowning in confusion, she looked around her small room. Other than her bunk, her desk and chair, and a bedside table with a lamp on it, she was alone. There was no one else in the room with her.

She hadn't heard the door open or close. Actually, she never heard it open or close when Shadi arrived either. Come to think of it… She approached the door and checked the deadbolt and lock on the doorknob. Both were still securely in place, exactly as she'd left them when she stormed in here to sulk after being informed she would be left behind during the attack on Apophis' planet. There was no way to unlock the door from the outside. Maybe someone could pick the doorknob handle, but the deadbolt was out of the question.

How the hell did Shadi get in here and where the hell did he go?

The first prickle of fear crawled up her arms as she quickly unlocked the door and stepped out into the hall. Aside from the soldier standing guard by her door, there was no one there. Other than herself and her guard, the place seemed deserted. It was even unusually quiet.

"Ma'am?" the female officer by her door asked curiously. "Are you alright?"

"I…" Was she? "I don't know," she admitted. "Did someone come by here?"

The officer frowned. "When?"

"Just a second ago." Samantha couldn't help scanning the empty hallway again. "Someone came to my room to talk to me and then left. You didn't see anyone?"

The officer's eyes sparkled with concern and suspicious. "Ma'am," she said slowly, "I've been standing here the whole time since you went inside. No one's come or gone. You're the only one to go in and the only one to come out."

"But how… Where the hell did he go?" she cried.

"Who?" the officer pressed. "Who are you looking for?"

Think Samantha. Stop, breathe, and think. Shadi told her to go to the control room because she'd be needed. Huh. Alright. She'd play this game and see where it took her. Shutting the door behind her, Samantha stalked down the hall leaving the confused officer behind.

The moment she stepped into the control room, the SGA's alarms blared and red lights cycled through the halls.

"Unauthorized off-world activation!" Major Walter Harriman announced over the intercom. "Dr. Carter to the- Oh!" he gasped when he noticed her standing there. "I'm sorry," he said, putting down the intercom microphone. "I didn't see you standing there."

Shadi knew. How did he know?

"It's fine," she said, dismissing it. "Who's dialing in?"

Immediately, Walter turned back to his computers and studied the glyphs. "I'm still waiting for the team's Identification Code. It should be coming in in- There. It's SG12 and SG3."

"They're early," a new voice, deeper and older said.

"General," Samantha said by way of a welcome.

He gave her a faint smile before speaking. "What's their status?" he demanded.

"I'm not sure, sir," Walter said. "Their scheduled contact wasn't until-"

_"__This in Major Kawalsky! Let us in!"_ a voice cried over the radio.

Hammond nodded briskly. "Do it and have medical teams on standby," he ordered.

"Yes sir," Harrimon responded promptly.

The airman flicked his hands over the keyboard and the brand new iris unfolded and stowed away revealing the rippling blue, watery energy that served as the wormhole's event horizon. It was almost instantly disturbed by groups of soldiers, men and women, all in various states of cleanliness, some spattered in blood, and some obviously wounded came through the Gate.

Then the medics in their white coats and scrubs raced into the Embarkation Room with stretchers and IVs and began triaging their patients.

"Incoming transmission, sir," Harrimon announced. He frowned. "It's not ours."

Both he and Samantha shared a look before turning to their leader. General Hammond grimaced but nodded. "Patch it through," he said. When it was done, he said loudly, "This is General Hammond of the SGA."

_"__Good," _a familiar voice said a moment before a visual of Se- Nephthys appeared on the small monitor.

His blue eyes gleamed starkly from under his golden headpiece. A woman with thick, black hair that surrounded her face like a cloud stood by his side. The spear in her hand was well crafted and her clothes suggested she was a warrior of high rank. But there was no Jaffa symbol tattooed on her forehead. Lo'tar perhaps?

_"__I would rather only speak to competent people,"_ Set continued. _"Is Dr. Carter there?"_

Deep breath. "I am," she said aloud. "Can he see us?" she whispered to Water?

The airman shook his head and mouthed, "Audio only."

She nodded. Good.

Set, however, didn't seem to mind. He smirked. _"Dr. Carter,"_ he said, _"I was surprised to find out you weren't among the Tau'ri soldiers here."_

She was too. Still miffed about it, actually. "Imagine how I feel," she grumbled just loud enough for him to hear.

His smirk vanished. _"What prevented you?"_

Well, "I'm apparently 'too valuable' to allow onto the field," she said, not bothering to hide her contempt for the command from the White House.

The look Set gave the camera was distinctly disdainful. _"Most Goa'uld would say the same of me."_ The woman by his side snorted, her stern expression cracking briefly. _"Unlike you, I don't allow my actions to be dictated by others."_

"I get the feeling you're high enough in rank to get away with that," she said dryly.

_"__I wasn't always,"_ he said. _"If you want something bad enough, you should be willing to claw your way there and let nothing and no one stand in your way."_

Huh. If that implied what Samantha thought it did, then perhaps Nephthys' past wasn't as different from the other reality's Set. That just added to her suspicions.

"What do you want, Nephthys?" the general asked, drawing the Goa'uld's attention.

_"__Apophis has been defeated,"_ Nephthys declared, looking at something on the floor to his right.

The camera adjusted its angle and Samantha was met by the bloodied face of the System Lord Apophis. The former System Lord was forced into a kneeling position on the floor, his arms chained behind his back by a pole propped between his elbows and his back. There was also a woman and a young man by Apophis' side. The woman and the young man looked like they could be related.

Then the boy's eyes glowed gold and Samantha swallowed thickly.

_"__I will just skin him as the snake he is,"_ Nephthys said, earning a snarl from the bound Apophis. _"So I am offering a trade."_

Oh boy.

"What sort of trade?" Hammond asked, wary.

The camera returned to Nephthys. _"I will hand over Apophis to you to be dealt with as you and the Tau'ri see fit,"_ he said, startling them. _"Your teams were effective in the attack."_ He grinned. _"Not surprising."_

Samantha considered the compliment carefully.

"Thank you," the general said. "What do you want in return?"

_"__An alliance,"_ came the unexpected reply. _"Tau'ri is still officially under my control. Every System Lord knows this and accepts it without question. Apophis,"_ he sneered, his gaze slipping briefly to where Apophis still knelt, _"will be further evidence against interfering with what is mine. No System Lord will attack Tau'ri as long as I am in control."_

The three people in the control room exchanged shocked looks. It was Samantha who spoke up.

"What about the Asgard?"

All amusement vanished from Naphthys' expression. _"What about them?"_ he hissed.

"We already have an alliance with the Asgard," she explained. "What wo-"

_"__I don't care what or who you choose to ally yourselves with," _Nephthys said in a curt tone. _"If you choose to ally with the Asgard, on your own head be it. I won't stop you from making your own choices. I control Earth. I don't rule it."_

Okay. There was a lot to unpack there. Alright. Payback's fair play.

"Shadi warned me you'd be tricky," she said boldly.

Both Walter and Hammond turned to her in surprise. She quickly held up a hand and mouthed, "I'll explain later." But because she never took her eyes away from the screen, she saw the dumbstruck expression on Nephthys' face. And the woman warrior's face too, surprisingly.

The surprise lasted long enough that Samantha noted the frown form on the general's face when he returned his gaze to the screen. The surprise faded slowly from Nephthys' face, becoming a vicious smirk.

_"__If he's decided to pay you a visit, then I suggest you keep an eye on your memories,"_ Nephthys said, grinning. _"He means well, but he does like to toy with people."_

Samantha nodded in wry agreement. "You can say that again."

_"__Don't rely on him too much,"_ Nephthys warned. _"He is limited in what he can and cannot do. There are some… people," _wow, that was some serious contempt, _"you enjoy pushing their own beliefs and rules on others. He has to be careful to avoid their attention and interference."_

"He mentioned that," Samantha said.

Something caught the woman warrior's attention on the screen and she tapped Nephthys' attention. Nephthys rolled his eyes and sighed in obvious annoyance.

_"__I'll send Apophis through the Gate to you as a sign of good faith,"_ he declared.

_"__You will __**not!"**_ Apophis shouted, followed closely by the hum of electricity and a pained screech.

_"__I most certainly will," _Nephthys purred. _"You knew Tau'ri was mine and yet you deliberately tried to take it from me. Be grateful I don't just skin you alive myself." _

He smiled and it sent shivers up Samantha's spine. She was so focused on the screen that she actually jumped when footsteps pounded up the stairs next to her.

"Sir, we-" Kawalsky did a double-take at the screen, and his mood quickly plummeted from victorious to hateful. "Bastard."

On the screen, Nephthys' blinked and tilted his head but didn't comment on the new voice. _"I will have Neith ring Apophis to the planet's surface by the Gate. She will not go through, but Apophis will. Do with him as you see fit."_

The connection cut.

"Fucking bastard," Kawalsky snarled. "Apophis was right there. _Right there_ and we couldn't kill him because that," he pointed at the screen, _"bastard _got to him before we could."

"What do you mean?" Hammond asked.

"I mean," Kawalsky said, obviously fuming, "that Nephthys shot Apophis with some lighting ray thing and ringed him away before we could kill him. We _deserved _that kill and he _took _it from us."

From the Embarkation Room, the glow of the event horizon rippled, drawing Samantha's attention. She nodded towards it. "I don't think you need to complain."

Sure enough, Apophis stumbled through the Stargate and was promptly met by startled shouts and numerous guns. Judging from the bloodied and broken state of the former System Lord, Samantha doubted there would be much resistance.

* * *

The rings activated once more and Neith materialized before him. "It is done," she said.

Set sighed and turned to Klorel and Amaunet still bound and kneeling on the floor.

"What do you plan to do with them?" Heru'ur demanded, fingering the gold staff weapon in his hand.

The snakes slithered in their bindings.

"The queen will be disposed of," he said. "But this one…" he approached Klorel and gripped the Goa'uld's chin, jerking it up so he could look the host in the eyes. Set had been alive long enough to recognize the signs of a Goa'uld struggling to hold onto its host. He'd seen it often enough with his own children. If Klorel's hold on his host was as weak as Set believed it to be, then perhaps…

"This one I want to play with," he said. "Neith, contact Arawn. I might have a new subject for us to study."

"As you wish."


End file.
